non gardening topic

Well folks - This particular board hasn't taken off quite as much as I thought it may. I do read it everyday and it seems that the very few times that I decide to post anything, it goes here.

So far, I have not met any of you in person. I am hoping to possibly change that with the Fall Swap or at least next spring if some get togethers are planned.

I found out last week that I have the beginnings of breast cancer. This past week has been spent seeing doctors and the upcoming week looks about the same. I do not have a definite surgery date, though I think it will be the week of July 17th.

This news was really not something that I expected to hear in my life time. Oh well, a person never knows, do they? I have suffered for over 21 years now with an autoimmune system disease that is very similar to Lupus. My condition is called Behcets. I was thinking that maybe since I have suffered so horribly from Behcets symptoms that I would be able to bypass anything else major. WRONG!!!

Anyway, my doctor is sounding very positive. At this point, the cancer is non-invasive and can actually be called, pre-cancer or stage 0 cancer. See, I am learning lots of new things. ha-ha. The plan is to do a massectomy of my left breast. So far, the doctor does not seem to think that I will be needing any chemo or radiation therapy. Anyway, I am now relying on her skill and expertise.

I do know that I am in good hands with my Lord. He is the one in control of my life. I do realize that I may experience some really sad and down days in the future. Right now, I am doing quite well emotionally.

Anyway, I suppose that I just felt a need to share with you folks in hopes that you will be thinking of and also praying for a swift recovery. Ya'll keep posting, I love reading them.

Ruby

I will be praying with you. You sound very positive and strong. This will bring you healing, along with faith in the Lord. I do look forward to meeting you at the fall swap!

My thoughts are with you.

Ruby, I'm so sorry you're going through this but I'm also glad they caught it so early. Our prayers are with you.

Thoughts, prayers and hugs to you, Ruby. Please keep a positive attitude and trust the Lord to give you strength.

Oh Ruby....my heart hurts for you! But I'm thanking God that this was something caught sooner then later. I don't think we ever understand "why?" Our life is a book...we base our thoughts and actions on the chapters we've lived/read...God knows our entire story from the 1st chapter to the last. That phrase "Let go and let God" has helped me many times. I'm a terrible "driver" under stress...so much better to let God take the wheel. I will be praying for you...both for your physical and emotional well being.
I'm sure I speak for everyone...we're "here" for you, Ruby.
(((hugs)))

Thank all of you so very much. It is a good feeling to know that I am on people's minds and that prayers are being said on my behalf. Kindness must be another trait that "us gardeners" share.

I am hearing so much about a person's attitude affecting how the outcome of cancer is. I am grateful that I am fifty years old looking at this issue, rather than a younger and less experienced person. By this time in a person's life we have had much experience in dealing with crisis.

Later this morning my husband and I will be traveling to Harrisonburg to see his dad who is in the hospital. We found out yesterday that he is not doing too well. He is in his mid 80's and is having a hard time fighting off pneumonia.

While in Harrisonburg, I want to stop at least one nursery or garden center. I am so wanting a hydrangea. There is a nursery closer to here that I will go next week and buy from if I don't find something today.

Again, I thank each and every one of you who replied here. I feel in good hands. I hope that everyone will have a good weekend.

Ruby

Hi Ruby,
My mother-in-law had a lump also. It was Stage 1. She had a lumpectomy + area around and then radiation. She took something by mouth for 5 years and now she's Ca free. So stay positive, they can do so much these days. I'll be praying for you! Enjoy the rest of the weekend. Keep us posted!
Nikki

Hi Ruby,

I came across this small poem and wanted to share it with you.

UNFOLDING THE ROSEBUD

It is only a tiny rosebud,
A flower of GOD's design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine.

The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
God opens this flower so sweetly,
When in my hands they fade and die.

If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of God's design,
Then how can I think I have wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?

So I'll trust in Him for His leading
Each moment of every day.
I will look to him for His guidance
Each step of the pilgrim way.

The pathway that lies before me,
Only my Heavenly Father knows.
I'll trust Him to unfold the moments,
Just as He unfolds the rose

So keep smiling and chin up Girl.....We are all praying for you.

Tweety

tweety - very sweet poem...so true as well!!

Ruby, Just read your post, I am home recovering from my mastectomy, ( Rt side )preformed July 5. I was not as bad as I thought, the right mind set helped! They had to take some lymph nodes and I have to do excerises to maintain and regain normal arm movement. I am typing this with both hands : )

I had chemo first, then surgery and next will be radiation therapy.

Keep up a positive attitude, keep doing the things you love, all will go well for you! If you have any questions, I'll be here for you.

Oh WOW!!!!!! Amazing Ladygardener. So sorry to hear about your health news too. It is a lot more common than I was thinking it was. I hadn't really paid much attention over the years to it, so am not very knowledgeable about the whole thing.

I visited the plastic surgeon yesterday who will be performing the reconstruction of breast for me. My Cancer Doctor had not told me all that has to be considered when having a replacement. I was blown away with having to make decisions about the actual surgery and also having to decide about what size breasts I am going to want.

I wasn't told that in order to replace a breast of my size, double dd, that first a skin stretcher thing needs to be inserted for about 6 months to stretch the skin. He can do a much smaller implant at the time of masectomy. So, when I left his office yesterday , my plan is to have a smaller left breast implant and later on have a reduction of good breast. Nnone of the choices are great that is for sure.

Ladygardener, what is your first name? Where do you reside? Thank you so much for offering to speak with me at some point. I am sure that later on I will definitely benefit from talking with other women who are in the same boat or have been in it past tense.

As it looks to cancer doctor at this point, she doesn't believe that I will be needing radiation or chemo. I guess when she does the actual masectomy she might find something that will make her change her mind.

Anyway, thank you so much for responding to my message. Feel well soon.

Ruby Watts

ladyg,
What a great gal to check in "here!" I pray your recovery will go smoothly for you! It sounds like you and Ruby will be a wonderful support for one another!!
Chantell

Ruby, sure helps to have a "sister" when you are facing BC. My first name is Chris. One thing to keep in mind is every case is different, I was a stage III actually I had 3 areas in the same breast that had cancer 1 ductal and 2 tissue. I talked to my surgeon about restruction and she told me the results might not meet my expectations, she also set up an appointment with a plastic surgeon, he verified what my surgeon told me, I would have to have a Trans Flap which means taking tussue from the abdomin to make a new breast. I could have that later if I wanted. Right now I will be looking at a prosthesis. The thought of going through another surgery Is not to my liking.
I have a friend whose sister-in-law when through the restruction like you will be (not the reduction) and things went fine.

I started to compare notes with her and things were different but, same surgeon, and plastic surgeon. But the treatment cycle was different, she had surgery first, then chemo and the radiation. I also think the tumor were different. Luckly you cought yours early!

Oh here is a few things that you might want to get together before surgery, make sure you have some loose fitting buttom down blouses, I am wearing my husband's old shirts. The hospital will have you in a surgerical bra when you wake up, I fould that the velcro closers can get irritating, but if I put it on inside out that helped. LOL They said I could wear my own bra but you will need something that fastens in the front and no stays or wires. And a small nice soft pillow under your arm helps you sleep at night. I have one with the small beads inside that I bought at Walmart.

You can e-mail me at fcod@adelphia.net if you want to talk off this forum.

Love and best wishes,

We can beat this,

Chris

Chantell, Thanks for the well wishes. Treatment for Brest Cancer has come a long way and we don't know who it will strike next, I had no history in my family. If I can help anyone get through it, I'm here to help.

Chris

Ruby,

Though you don't know me, I live nearby in Waynesboro and my husband works in Crozet. Is there anything I can do for you, like bring you dinner after your surgery or water your plants? Please let me know if I can help you. Wishes for a speedy healing!

Blessings,
Elizabeth

Hi Elizabeth - Thank you so much for the kind and gracious offer to help out. At this point, I am not sure what I will be needing. I am lucky in that my hubby is self employed and has been trying to get things away from home done before the surgery. He will be available to me for the most part.

Maybe after I feel a bit better, you could come and visit and take a look at my flower and veggie garden. I hope that my husband will treat the plants as well as I have been treating them.

It is good to have someone on this board so close by. Maybe we could meet up at some point and do some of the day trips that others are planning.

Again, I thank you for the offer to help. I will let you know if I think of anything.

Ruby

Ruby,

I am thinking of you and praying for you. I will add you to the prayer list at church. Hopefully we will have a chance to meet soon. :)

Elizabeth

Ruby,
How are things going with you? A few of us have been concerned...and I didn't see any updates. You've continued to be included in prayers. When you feel up to it...please check in here and let us know how you're doing.
((((HUGS)))))
Chantell

Ruby, I will be watching here to see when you reply.

Take care, Dear. My thoughts are with you.

She said in her original post that her surgery might be the week of July 17, which is this week.

I checked to see if her address was in the address exchange so we could send her cards but it's not in there.

We're all thinking about you, Ruby and praying for a quick and complete recovery.

Hart, Thanks for reminding me of Ruby's proposed surgery date.

I took me about 4 days after surgery to get back on the computer just to look at some posts and 6 days before I wanted to reply to a post, of course I was on pain pills : ) Now they only keep you in the hospital overnight, some places treat it on an outpatient bases. UGH!

Chris

Ah hart....thank you...time gets away from me and I didn't realize that was THIS week...I was thinking next week for some reason. Big time prayers coming your way Ruby!!

Awwwwwww.... I am touched. I am alive and well. I went on a mini-vacation. I just finished a d-mail to ladygardener. I thought that I was responding so that room could see. Didn't realize it was private. Is there a way for ladygardener to copy it over to the board? If not, I will repeat again tomorrow morning when I feel a bit more rested.

We had a good time despite a few mishaps.
Oh yeah, it seems that mishap is my new middle name. Ha Ha.

Again, thank you kind ladies for checking on me. I will post tomorrow morning. Where would I put my mailing address to make it available to you folks? The idea of getting a get well card sounds really nice to me. I have a chronic illness and only very rarely have I received cards since doctor visits are so frequent for me.

The surgery is Thursday, July 27. I think that I will be in hospital one night.

Ruby

Glad you were having a nice break, Ruby. Mishaps and all.

To enter your address, go to the home page, click on extras, click on address exchange and then click on edit your listing.

If you want to save yourself some writing, just go to your dmail (click on my info at the top of any page then click on my dmail), click on the thread from ladygardener and then you can copy and paste your reply into a new post here.

Ruby, I'll be happy to copy and post your reply at your request. ((((HUGS))))

""Hi Chris - Thank you so much for asking. I took a mini-vacation this week. We had planned to take my son on vacation during the first week of August. I am not anticipating feeling quite up to traveling by then since the surgery is only the week before.

In the midst of getting things done, we decided to go to VA Beach VA for a few nights. We could have stayed longer but we are working around my teenage sons ball games and summer job.

I am hoping that maybe in another month or so I might feel up to taking another small get-a-way. VA Beach is not too terribly far to travel and a fairly decent room rate surprised me.

Of course, as par for course, I had a crisis on the way down. One of these days when the board is really slow I will start a topic of vacation disasters. I am sure that I will win the prize for the most, if not the worst ones.

I suffer from an autoimmune system disease that is very similar to Lupus. I have been on many medications for over twenty years now. Many of the medications dry my mouth and so my dental bill over the past few years has been atrocious. I have about as many crowns as real teeth.

Well, about 30 miles away from the beach on Monday, I was talking on the phone when my front tooth (crown) pops out of my mouth. Oh my gosh!!!!!! I first thought of getting a phone book and looking up emergency dental help. Then I thought of the thousands and thousands that I have given my most recent dentist and decided to call their office and see if they had any associates in the VA Beach area.

Thankfully, they gave me a number to a female dentist who worked me in and was probably the kindest dentist that I have ever been to. My "real" tooth had broken off inside of the crown. That meant no way could it be just glued and popped back on.

This doctor had to go against "normal" procedure and come up with an idea to make it possible for me to look better at least until I could get back to family dentist. I still had to go for over 24 hours without a front tooth!!! Gorgeous, I tell you, simply gorgeous. ha-ha. It was awful but also funny.

I am having problems with three teeth that need to be addressed before surgery next week. One of the questions on the pre-admittance Anesthesia questionnaire is whether you have any chipped or broken teeth. Yep, yep and yep.

So.....I am very humbled at this point and will be so again next week as I lay on an operating table missing possibly three teeth. The front one is covered at this point with a plate but I am positive that it will come out before I go to the OR.

So, if any of you folks are thinking of getting sick, forget modesty and dignity. There is no room for those things when a person is ill.

Anyway, this is just another of a long line of tales of my adventures. I just have to shake my head. One of these days I will tell you how to survive a day in New York City without a penny to my name.

Ya'll folks have a good one and I want to thank you again Chris for asking about me.

Ruby"

So good to hear from you Ruby...teeth or no teeth!!! Sorry you had the mishap....always something...my grandma used to always say. Not fun but at least you got away for a bit!!! Please let us know when you get your address posted over on the exchange....just don't post it here in open forum..anyone surfing through DG could access it. We love you and are praying for you!!
Chantell

It is so good to hear from Ruby.

Ruby, did you know I work for a dentist? I do front desk now but I was a Dental assistant. I need an old crown replaced but my boss wanted to wait until after surgery so they wouldn't knock the temp off.

As Ruby said and I quote "So, if any of you folks are thinking of getting sick, forget modesty and dignity. There is no room for those things when a person is ill." So true, I don't know how many have seen my chest so far. Plus the photos taken at the plastic surgeons office. Ha Ha !

Ruby, don't get your hopes up on that vacation a week after surgery, I am 15 days out from surgery and still have discomfort, bumps in the road, the seatbelt, wearing a bra all day. I'd check with your doctor first. Healing takes time.

Take care.

Chris

Hi Ruby,

Good to hear from you. Glad you took a vacation always helps to get away from the maddening world and enjoy nature.
And dont worry about the broken tooth and OT table cause you will still look pretty and most importantly will not be aware of anything around.
Just focuse on getting better and remeber we all are thinking of you in our prayers.

Keep smiling

Tweety

Thank you for the kind words Tweety.

Ruby

HI Everyone - I need to go back and re-read some of the posts that have been written to me. All of you have been really great by sending such kind and comforting messages. Please forgive me for not answering each post individually. It depends on what time of day I am reading the posts as to whether I answer then or not. I am truly not trying to snub anyone at all. I can already tell that I am very blessed to be getting to know all of you. Seems like a very wonderful group. Thank you all so much.

Ruby

Ruby,
I would think I speak for everyone...please do not exert extra energy responding to everyone's posts! Come on to this thread you started, when you're able, and let us know how you're doing. No one expects more then that...please!!!

Amen! We just want you to know we're all praying for you, rooting for you and thinking about you. We certainly don't need individual pats on the head for that! humpf (LOL)

Awwwww....you guys. blush blush

I third, fourth and fifth and..............Chantell and Hart.

Just enjoy the family and focus on yourself. We will see you here whenever you can.

Ruby,
We certainly all have you in our prayers. We will all be sending them up on Thursday!!
Get all of your gardening done this week to keep your mind off what you have ahead of you. We pray for both you, your family and the doctors that are taking care of you.
Blessings,
Fay